Amazon opens fresh empowerment intake

AMAZON Web Services (AWS) said yesterday that its intake for its Equity Equivalent Investment Programme (EEIP) in South Africa for this year was now open. In 2019, AWS South Africa launched the EEIP as part of its broadbased black economic empowerment programme. The AWS EEIP is a partner development and acceleration programme for 100 percent black-owned small IT businesses.

It said the AWS EEIP was an 18- to 24-month enablement and acceleration programme for businesses with a turnover of under R50 million.

Businesses have until April 15 to apply. Visit www.aws-eeip.co.za

“The programme is designed to help these businesses onboard to AWS and accelerate their journey to becoming Select and Advanced tier consulting or technology partners on the AWS partner network.”

South Africa’s small businesses employ between 50 and 60 percent of the workforce and generate about 34 percent of the country’s gross domestic product.

“Thriving small and medium-sized businesses are vital in achieving this and other job creation goals but face constraints such as limited access to funding, skilled labour, technology and networks, which can limit their growth.

“AWS EEIP gives these businesses a range of resources and support to not only achieve the AWS partner network tier requirements, but build sustainable, scalable businesses which contribute to South Africa’s skills development and job creation imperative,” it said.